New Animal Rescue Foundation Started

Pet photographer Sheryl Mann and Patton Avenue Pet Company founder Jenna Yarosh have joined forces to establish the Asheville Animal Rescue Foundation (AARF). The group, founded in 2015, will produce and sell pet-themed products. AARF works closely with other non-profit rescue organizations to monetarily support their work through grants aimed directly where funds are needed most.

Yarosh pointed out that Asheville Animal Rescue Foundation is an all-volunteer organization that has no overhead, so every cent of profit from sales will go to companion animal programs. She said examples of the types of programs the foundation will support are spay-neuter clinics, trap/neuter/release programs for feral cats, and emergency veterinary care for low-income residents.

The first products offered by the foundation were a series of Christmas cards featuring rescued pets that were sold at both Patton Avenue Pet Company locations, at the Canine Shear Heaven groomers, and on-line. Mann said that they plan to expand the AARF card line to cover additional occasions beyond Christmas, but that the specific new products to be added to the AARF line have not yet been decided upon. Possibilities include, but are not limited to, mugs, T shirts, sweatshirts and calendars. (In 2013 Mann and Yarosh had joined forces with graphic designer Sherri Laudemeyer to produce a Dogs of Asheville 2014 calendar to raise funds for Brother Wolf Animal Rescue.)